Sample Hamlet Thesis Statements: on the Topic of Sanity/Madness

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Sample Hamlet Thesis Statements: On the topic of sanity/madness: In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the protagonist contrives a complex plot to seek vengeance for his father’s death and as he pushes the limit in his mission, he progressively blurs the line between sanity and insanity creating a parallel to the state of purgatory. On the topic of revenge: In Hamlet’s case, revenge becomes a malevolent spirit who possessed the protagonist, driving him to insanity and forcing him to lash out at those who it deemed “collateral damage” or deserving of punishment. Let it be said that Claudius’ crimes were abhorrent: murdering Hamlet’s father to gain the boons of the throne and ultimately, his wife, a crime that deprived Hamlet of the throne and left him appalled at his uncle’s gall and his mother’s betrayal. This ultimately led young Hamlet vulnerable to possession from “his father’s spirit”, and the Court of Elsinore was soon running red with the blood of many. The tragedy of Hamlet ultimately served as a lesson, as its author, William Shakespeare elucidates on how revenge can corrupt, and ultimately drag even the smartest and paramount of men into a cycle of sin, poison, and death. In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Hamlet is ultimately responsible for the plague of death spreading through Denmark due to his selfish actions and his increasing lack of empathy throughout the play, allowing Shakespeare to depict how quickly revenge will take over a person's mind. On the characters in Hamlet and their decisions: Through his portrayal of his three mirror characters in Hamlet- Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras- William Shakespeare conveys that our choices and actions matter far more than the circumstances present in our lives. On the topic of uncertainty: In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet’s battle with his inner-demons and the presence of the Ghost in Denmark are representations of the uncertainty that exists throughout the play and life in general. .

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An Analysis of Paternal Models of Authority and Filial Duty in Shakespeare’S Hamlet
The Dilemma of Shakespearean Sonship: An Analysis of Paternal Models of Authority and Filial Duty in Shakespeare’s Hamlet The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters Citation Mosley, Joseph Scott. 2017. The Dilemma of Shakespearean Sonship: An Analysis of Paternal Models of Authority and Filial Duty in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Master's thesis, Harvard Extension School. Citable link http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:33826315 Terms of Use This article was downloaded from Harvard University’s DASH repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http:// nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#LAA The Dilemma of Shakespearean Sonship: An Analysis of Paternal Models of Authority and Filial Duty in Shakespeare’s Hamlet Joseph Scott Mosley A Thesis in the Field of Dramatic Arts for the Degree of Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies Harvard University May 2017 © 2017 Joseph Scott Mosley Abstract The aim of the proposed thesis will be to examine the complex and compelling relationship between fathers and sons in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. This study will investigate the difficult and challenging process of forming one’s own identity with its social and psychological conflicts. It will also examine how the transformation of the son challenges the traditional family model in concert or in discord with the predominant philosophy of the time. I will assess three father-son relationships in the play – King Hamlet and Hamlet, Polonius and Laertes, and Old Fortinbras and Fortinbras – which thematize and explore filial ambivalence and paternal authority through the act of revenge and mourning the death of fathers.
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Renaissance and Reformation, 1994
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